The Beacon

UP plans for composting program

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT

A survey conducted by an environmental studies class found that 86 percent of UP students would compost if they could. In response to the survey results and a general student desire to compost, Physical Plant is teaming up Bon Appétit to discuss the possibility of creating and managing a composting program at UP.

ASUP passes smoking resolution

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT

The ASUP Senate passed a new resolution on Monday to ensure that smokers and cigarette disposals remain 50 feet away from buildings. The resolution also presents the Senate's commitment to programs geared at helping students quit smoking.

Corrado Senator, sophomore Alyssa Schmidt-Carr, and Mehling Senator, sophomore Samantha Riofta, submitted a revised Resolution 08-06 to the Senate this week because the original resolution draft caused some controversy among smokers.

Club web sites get a face lift

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT

When the University debuted its redesigned Web site last Wednesday, Student Activities refreshed an old idea: club Web sites. In light of the online face lift, the department asked clubs to review their current Internet addresses to confirm their own Web pages weren't lost in the changeover.

Nobel Laureate scheduled to speak tonight

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT

Nobel Laureate Kim Dae-jung has survived mulitple acts of violence during his lifetime, incuding a kinapping, a near murder and wrongful imprisonment. It's no surprise that Kim comes to UP today bearing a message of peace.

Kim is scheduled to address a crowd of around 2,300 (as of press time) UP students and community members at 7 p.

Student clubs risk disbandment

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT

Student club formation and disbandment are ordinary occurrences at UP, with the 2007-2008 school year seeing the formation of three clubs and the dissolution of one.

However, approximately 10 clubs currently face the possibility of forced disbandment by Student Activities if they fail to meet end-of-the-year club rerecognition requirements.

'Battle of Bands' deemed success

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT

The lights are off. There's great music. People are screaming "Encore!" And somewhere, the music gods are smiling.

No, that's not a description of a big name concert at the Rose Garden. It's a description of St. Mary's last Thursday, when Paulrus is Dead won the Battle of the Bands.

Latest 'Dresden' book sure to entertain

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT

Harry Dresden is an ordinary guy. He has a dog, an older brother, a best friend and a self-run business. Then again, when you count the fact that his dog is magical, his brother is a vampire succubus, his best friend is a cop specializing in the supernatural and his business can be found in the yellow pages under "Wizards," maybe he isn't so ordinary after all.

Entertain Me

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT

LISTEN TO � "Colin Meloy Sings Live!" the most recent release from Decemberists' front man Colin Meloy. Stephen Colbert dubbed the Decemberist sound "hyper-literate prog-rock" and Meloy, armed with only a guitar, a braying set of pipes and lots of stage props, filters out the prog while retaining the lit.

Editorial: Handbook policies should be clearer

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT

Last week's coverage of the controversy surrounding the University's Sexual Misconduct Policy highlights a clear problem with many of the policies in the student handbook: They're much too vague.

It could be argued that the generality of such policies allows the administration to address more of the needs of the University community.

Living sustainably requires sacrifice

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT

It's been a few months since Focus the Nation. Like most people, I had mixed feelings about the event itself. While the cause - fighting global climate change (better known by the colloquialism "global warming") - is worthy, the political rhetoric of the main event was spiritually and intellectually taxing.

Letters to the editor

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT

Courage for coverage should be commended

Editor:

I am writing to commend The Beacon writers who took on serious topics and wrote with so much professionalism (April 10, "Sex Policies Criticized," "Lack of Cooperation," and "Watchdog Role Compromised").

I couldn't be more proud of the Beacon's commitment to dealing with issues that actually matter.

Walking the talk

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT

Ah, yes. It's one thing to talk about "Focusing the Nation," but it's another thing to take concrete action. But is it really that hard?

In fact, we do have a daunting task in front us. Recently Dr. James Hansen, a world authority on climate change, said that things are worse than we thought, and that we need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 90 percent by 2050.

Just like mom and dad

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT

Sophomore Richie Kaimie considers himself a conservative Republican. He likes fiscal conservatism and believes that the government should take a harder line in fighting insurgents in Iraq.

His parents share many of the same views and consider themselves in the same party as their son, but determining whether their political alignment is a coincidence or fate is difficult.

'Friending' the future president

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT

Forty-two percent of Americans aged 18 to 29 regularly learn about the presidential campaign from the Internet, the highest percentage for any news source, according to a January 2008 survey conducted by the Pew Research Center.

This number is nearly double the overall percentage of Americans that report using the Internet for their campaign news (24 percent).

Most students will vote in their home state, survey reveals

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT

Most out-of-state UP students plan to vote in their home states this November, according to a non-scientific online survey of 100 students conducted by The Beacon.

Of the respondents, 57 percent were from a state other than Oregon, and nearly as many - 55 percent - said they plan to vote in a state other than Oregon in the presidential election.

Students get campaign news from alternative sources

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT

Few UP students actually watch traditional TV news programs, but that does not mean they are not getting the news. Instead, many students are relying on news program alternatives and the Internet.

Some get their news from comedy shows like "The Colbert Report" or "The Daily Show.

Television sways public opinion in elections

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT

The first televised presidential debate was held in 1960, between Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy. Those who watched the debate on TV agreed that Kennedy had the upper hand, whereas those who listened to the debate on the radio believed that Nixon had made the better argument.

Pilots tie Timbers

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT

The men's soccer team tied 1-1 in a heated exhibition match last Friday against the Portland Timbers.

"I felt like I was getting whacked all over the park," said sophomore Collen Warner, who was on the receiving end of a head-butt.

Although the teams appeared to have made nice quickly, they didn't do so before four yellow cards were issued to the Pilots, with another yellow and a red shown to the Timbers.

LaPonte: No golf in Olympics

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT

The torch has been passed from hand to hand, city to city and country to country as it has woven its way across the globe to its eventual resting place in the opening flames of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.

Besides the games residing in China for the first time in history, the lexicon of accepted Olympic sports has also been shaken up this year.

Baseball rained out at PGE

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 04:00:00 GMT

The Pilots faced the Oregon State Beavers at PGE Park Tuesday for four innings before rain forced the game to be called for the evening and suspended to April 23, when the Pilots will resume play in Corvallis at Goss Stadium with the Beavers leading by three.